The government will provide around Tk 6,000 crore more subsidies than the budgetary allocation for the current fiscal year due mainly to price hike of fuel, fertiliser and food in the international market.

Detained former prime minister and Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina yesterday reiterated her call for an election by April-May, and said a representative government is urgently needed to run the country fairly and mitigate sufferings of the people.

Many of the 124 staff of Titas Gas Distribution and Transmission Ltd, who refunded their illegally-earned wealth on Tuesday, gave written undertaking to the task force yesterday saying they would never get involved in corruption in future.

Reaffirming the pledge of holding the next general election as per the announced roadmap, the chief election commissioner (CEC) yesterday said, "We must have to do this and it is our promise to the nation."

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) will not invoke the provisions of Emergency Power Rules (EPR) while filing cases for offences that took place before its formulation if the Supreme Court directs so.

The Appellate Division yesterday fixed Sunday for hearing on the government appeal against the landmark High Court verdict that quashed an extortion case against former premier Sheikh Hasina and declared illegal bringing it under Emergency Power Rules.

Seven students of Dhaka University (DU) will now face trial after a Dhaka court yesterday accepted the charge sheet of a case filed against them for torching an army vehicle and assaulting an army man at Shahbagh intersection during the August violence last year.

The relatives of eight expatriate Bangladeshi workers sentenced to death by a Saudi court appealed to the government yesterday for taking necessary steps so the Saudi government grants amnesty for the convicts.

Awami League (AL) acting President Zillur Rahman yesterday said categorically that AL does not believe in the concept of a national consensus government as that cannot be a principle in governing the country.

A Dhaka court yesterday did not pass any order on detained former premier Khaleda Zia's petition to produce her before the court in connection with the Gatco graft case. The hearing on the petition was, however, held yesterday.

With no clear winner after months of wooing voters, the tight race for the Democratic White House nomination may leave the choice between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to "superdelegates," unelected party leaders.

Editorial

Bangladesh is widely believed to be one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. It also faces risks of Tsunami and storm surge, the former because of probability of submarine landslides and the latter on account of climatic changes.

Super Tuesday in the United Stated has come and gone. In what was clearly a carnival spirit, both in the American media and among American citizens, the question of which politicians will end up being the candidates for the White House at the November election was wrestled with. The Republicans have all but formally made it clear that John McCain, a respected senator and former POW in Vietnam, will be their standard bearer. He has clearly left all his rivals, including the high spending Mitt Romney, well behind.

So what happens now? With the High Court having quashed the Tk.2.99 crore extortion case against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina as being outside the purview of emergency laws, it is now time for the powers that be to ponder the legality and constitutionality of many of the measures they have undertaken so far in respect to the prosecution of corruption charges against a whole class of individuals.

Sri Lanka -- the embattled south Asian country -- has just celebrated its 60th anniversary of independence. The occasion this year has a special significance, since the government appears to have accomplished significant gains in the war against the Tamil militants. The government in Colombo seems upbeat about its ultimate success in the drive against the militants.

As evidence of what we have done to our planet earth during the last three centuries in the name of progress is becoming clearer everywhere around the world with the passage of time, issues related to global warming, too, are becoming almost a common household topic of discussion in each and every corner of the globe. How to tackle the problem in a meaningful way is gradually becoming the focal point of attention in such discussions, though disagreements on what needs to be done abound.

Sports

A late rally steered Arambagh Krira Sangha to end Badda Jagarani's impressive run in the Protiti Pharma Victory Day Club Cup football tournament and enter the final with a 2-0 win in the first semifinal yesterday.

Mohammedan Sporting Club will look forward to rebuild a tarnished image following an 'unsporting' game against Arambagh in the group stage and the punishment they had received for it when they face archrivals Abahani in the second semifinal of the Protiti Pharma Victory Day Club Cup today.

Fabio Capello oversaw a winning start to his tenure as England manager on Wednesday with a 2-1 victory over Switzerland while his Italian compatriots scored an impressive friendly success over Portugal which augurs well for the Azzurri's chances at Euro 2008.

The last time Australia and Sri Lanka met in a one-day international the game's conclusion was ruined when the umpires forced play to continue as darkness fell on the World Cup final in Barbados. Weather looms as the only thing that could spoil their rematch at the SCG on Friday, with a cracking contest likely if the rain stays away. Unfortunately, that "if" should be bold and underlined.

Youngmen's Club failed to repeat their performance of a 3-0 win against Victoria two days earlier in the Victory Day Club Cup when the two sides drew 1-1 in yesterday's Senior Division Football League.

The Premier League is set to go global from the 2011-12 season with matches being played overseas for the first time. The league and the chairmen of its 20 clubs agreed to explore a proposal today whereby the season will be extended from 38 games to 39 to allow every club to play one extra match abroad.

The Republic of Ireland's caretaker manager Don Givens saw his side defeated 1-0 but not embarrassed by a slick though sometimes directionless Brazil team here Wednesday in what is almost certainly his last game in charge.

After more than 10 months away from the Germany team, Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack showed he has shaken off the ankle injury which blighted his 2007 as he captained his side to a 3-0 win in Vienna.

If you were to look in a catalogue, the blade is known as a Puma Ballistic. But this one has a tongue-in-cheek nickname taken from a Simpsons episode where Homer makes a baseball bat with supernatural powers.

South Africa's cricket coach Mickey Arthur was facing the axe Thursday over accusations he abused the country's top cricket official in a row over the number of black players to tour Bangladesh, a report said.

West Indies' Marlon Samuels is to undergo independent analysis of his suspect bowling action on Monday at England's National Cricket Academy at Loughborough University, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a statement on Wednesday.

Sheikh Nasir Ahmed recorded his third successive win in the International Chess Festival of Moscow Open when the Bangladesh FIDE Master defeated Russian GM Evgeni Vasiukov in the fifth round on Wednesday.

Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini has played down the extent of an injury he suffered on international duty with France this week, which is likely to intensify manager Arsene Wenger's dislike of international friendlies.

Private land phone operators claim their business is being disrupted by the unfair tactics of their mobile rivals, who charge exorbitant interconnection fees and won't accept SMS messages sent from land phones.

The meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors from the Group of Seven industrialised countries in Tokyo on Saturday must strengthen cooperation and deliver a clear message to markets amid growing concerns over a worldwide economic crisis caused by confusion in the financial and stock markets.

Metropolitan

The caretaker government with the help of the donor agencies will finalise an 'Early Recovery Action Plan for Sidr-affected Areas ' by March next with view to going ahead with its long-term assistance programmes for the affected people.

Several student organisations of Dhaka University (DU) have forged unity against the student bodies of religion-based political parties apparently over the issue of quota system in the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examinations.

The Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) yesterday arrested five suspected frauds on charges of confining and torturing Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia in order to force their families to pay additional amount of money.

LGRD Adviser M Anwarul Iqbal yesterday categorically said the government will not spare any structure, legal or illegal, while implementing the 'integrated development of Hatirjheel area, including Begunbari Khal project'.

A female student of Dhaka University has appealed for financial help for the treatment of her mother who has been suffering from hepatitis C virus-induced liver cirrhosis for the last four years, says a press release.

Qulkhwani of Saifuddin Ahmed Manik, general secretary of Gono Forum and president of Moni Singh-Farhad Memorial Trust, will be held at his RK Mission Road residence in the city after Asr prayers today, says a press release.

Bangladesh Centre for Development, Journalism and Communication (BCDJC) invites reports published in the national dailies or weeklies on 'Good Governance and Democratic Development' for the Canadian Awards for Excellence in Bangladesh Journalism-2007.

Letters

At present the global climate is changing rapidly and contributing a lot to environmental degradation all over the world. And it has been a serious concern for the poor countries like ours. The most industrially developed nations are mainly responsible for global pollution. The Kyoto Protocol, an agreement on the environment and sustainable development, has not yet been ratified by the United States, the largest polluter of environment.

In the BBC phone-in programme a few days ago, one gentleman raised a very pertinent question regarding the technical quality and distribution system of the ID card. If his observation is valid and extensive, one should be concerned about the future of this project which has received appreciation at home and abroad. I was very cynical about the success of this project right from the day one, because I apprehended the problems narrated by a gentleman in the phone-in programme.

Every time I think of Iraq, I feel sorry for the country, which is called the cradle of civilisation. This land has been ruined utterly and violence is erupting every day. From my childhood days, I was fascinated by Iraq. I used to read about Baghdad, Basra and other cities, prosperous and bustling with activities. I learned about Calif Harun-ur-Rashid roaming the streets in disguise at night to see how everything was going on and ensuring that all was well.

Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed promised general election by the end of 2008. Many of us are apprehensive and even scared of the return to same old politics and misrule by the corrupt politicians. The last one year of emergency rule by the CTG brought relief and hope amongst most of us. The CTG performed admirably and coped well with natural disasters.

I am 75 and still work 8-10 hours every day. I commute by rickshaw from my rented flat in Niketon to office in Banani via Mohakhali Road. I do not have a car or even a mobile. For the last few months rickshaws have been banned from Mohakhali Road, so twice every day I am summarily ejected from my rickshaw by the dozens of cops on duty (have they nothing better to do?) and forced to walk the 1 km portion of Mohakhali Road like thousands of men, women, children, old, infirm, disabled, sick, students, small traders etc. etc. I manage somehow during the day but returning home after dark poses a problem. I have also undergone bye-pass operation. At that rush hour it is impossible to get a CNG or taxi. Even if I can, they refuse the short distance fare and laugh in the face of the policemen who interceded on my behalf once or twice.

A well-publicised conference of non-resident Bangladeshis (fancifully called NRBs) was held in Dhaka last month with the expressed view of projecting the potentials of the NRBs in 'alleviating' the miseries of the lesser mortals who live in this country. In fact, almost every year, such conferences are organised in Dhaka for NRBs in different formats. These routine meetings (or get-togethers) give the NRBs an opportunity to make holiday trips to this country in winter using tickets from conference organisers in the name of visiting Bangladesh for participating in an international (?) conference. Such visits also help them to enrich their curriculum vitae as well as meet their relatives/friends, and buy or sell properties here. Lesser mortals or 'resident Bangladeshis' do not need to object to all these until we hear the NRBs lecturing us in condescending tones on how we “should” live our lives. It is surely welcome if the NRBs come here with capital to invest in employment generating enterprises (like the United Airways), but, certainly, we do not need any advice on floods or mass transit or urban congestion etc. NRBs please note that in Bangladesh we have a large supply of resource persons who have more experience in development works than most of you. One NRB, participating in the recent conference, even had the temerity to demand that the expatriate Bangladeshis holding foreign passports be allowed to head some of the development organisations and corporations of Bangladesh as if the executives and academics of Bangladesh are all nincompoops! It is unfortunate that the media did not see through the charade of the so-called NRB 'guest birds', who I presume have by now returned to their cozy homes gloating over a make-believe contentment that he/she has their bit for their motherland, which they had voluntarily left!

On January 12th, the KMT of Taiwan i.e. the nationalists, won the parliamentary elections as the ruling Democratic Progressive Party managed to win just 27 seats while the KMT grabbed 81 seats ( there were in total 113 seats). Their victory means that relations between Taiwan and China are likely to improve, given the fact that the DPP was more pro-independence and more willing to unease relations with the “mainland”, while the KMT looks forward to warming relations with China particularly in terms of maintaining strong economic ties.

Clear directives are needed from the NBR as to whether one person with different individuals, such as husband & wife, father & son, father & daughter, mother & son, mother & daughter, so on and so forth, can purchase three-monthly profit giving Savings Certificates in Joint Names.

A good system of communication was introduced for the commuters of the capital city. That was the introduction of AC bus services from Uttara to Motijheel. Various types of buses were seen plying between different ends of the city and even to suburbs under the name of Premium, Nirapod etc. Commuters of all classes used to go to different places comfortably and safely. For sometime I used to stay at Uttara and visit different places in those buses. I saw lots of students studying in different institutions including Medical College & Engineering University travel in those buses . That system was serving so nicely that we used to feel like enjoying modern city life. Middle class people, particularly female travellers having no personal transport, were benefited so much because they could travel at any time in those buses freely and safely. It got popularity among the middle class people, a major part of taxpayers. We expected that the system would be expanded and more such buses would be added to serve more areas, but to our utter surprise we found two major transport companies soon going out of the business.

With deep regret, we would like to draw your kind attention to an article entitled “Suharto, September 1965 and East Timor” by Syed Badrul Ahsan, Editor, Current Affairs, published in your newspaper on 30 January 2008. It appears that the writer made a tendentious article and fabricated it with an ill motive against Suharto.

Arts & Entertainment

The queue to get in does not go all the way to Timbuktu, no stampede, and thus no resemblance to a sandstorm -- this year's 'Amar Ekushey Grantha-mela' or 'Boimela' (book fair) as it's popularly known, certainly seems more “appealing”, said Trisha, a student of Dhaka University (DU). As the Boimela is held at the Bangla Academy premises, which is right next to the DU campus, the fair occupies a major share of the students' leisure.

With a view to provide a platform for the artists of the greater Mymensingh region, a 15-day Fine Arts and Handicrafts fair has begun at Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin Shangrahoshala (Art gallery) located at the Shaheb Quarter Park in the district town. The fair was inaugurated on February 1.

The Daywalka Foundation (TDF), a US-based human rights organisation that addresses human trafficking, safe migration and gender-based violence through culturally grounded solutions, recently produced three radio jingles featuring the Close Up 1 star Beauty. The singer is now the goodwill ambassador of TDF' public awareness campaign in Bangladesh.

Bollywood superstars Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan find themselves in the midst of a debate about smoking rekindled by Indian Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss who asked the duo to stop puffing away on screen.

OP-ED

The change in the political landscape of the country, with the takeover by the present caretaker government, has given rise to the expectation of a national government. The proposal for a national government has met with mixed reactions from various political parties, and there seems to be considerable confusion with regard to the concept and the process of formation of a national government. There are also doubts about its effectiveness and stability, especially when the political system remains adversarial or parochial.

The annual meeting of the World's Economic Forum in Davos ended with some hopes, aspirations, promises and warnings. This year's event drew nearly 30 heads of states or governments, more than 110 cabinet ministers, and several hundred corporate titans.

Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed (1932-2003) is best remembered by his admirers and jurists in Bangladesh and the rest of South Asia not only as a specialist in constitutional law but also as an eminent non-political activist who took special interest in trying to find a pragmatic solution to the existing problem of dysfunctional politics within our country. Concerned about the prevailing "closed shop trade union" syndrome that afflicts most political parties in Bangladesh, Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed (a former attorney-general of Bangladesh and an adviser to two successive caretaker governments) and a few others had the courage to try and find an effective method out of the madness.

Environment

The ocean plays an important role in the climate system by regulating the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It is generally accepted that more than 80 percent of anthropogenic CO2 emissions will eventually be absorbed naturally by the oceans, primarily through a slow exchange between the atmosphere and the surface waters. This exchange process behaves like a clog in a sink's drain: drainage occurs too slowly to prevent a large build-up; in this case of CO2 in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide entering the deep waters of the ocean is removed from interaction with the atmosphere for periods of hundreds of years. A significant fraction of the excess carbon dioxide released by man's activities enters the deep waters of the ocean and plays no further part in global warming over century timescales.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Albert Arnold (Al) Gore Jr. have been jointly declared for the Nobel Peace Prize-2007 for their research and effort to spread out the knowledge about man-made climate change and also the measures that are needed to counteract such change. Greenhouse gases that mainly absorb and emit heat to the atmosphere have the effect on global temperature and make habitable environment for earth. Continuous deforestation and extensive fossil fuel exploitation and natural sources contribute carbon dioxide (CO2) in atmosphere dramatically in higher rate since industrialisation and rising relentlessly.

It is very clear that colonialisation bears some specific objectives that may be getting cheap raw materials, cheap labour and a captive market for product manufacturing. Here I have used the term eco-colonialism that means the colonialisation which is a growth to the exploitation of ecology. But how colonialisation damage the ecology?